


Stretch Marks

by thesoundofnat



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Body Image, Body Worship, Foreplay, Kinda, M/M, stretch marks, ungraphic sexual activities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-20 06:12:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13711563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesoundofnat/pseuds/thesoundofnat
Summary: For many years he’d found great joy in going to bed with people and have them raise their eyebrows in pleased surprise when he’d undressed. Yes, it was safe to say he liked his body.He had a bit more of a complicated relationship with his stretch marks, however.(Or, Tony and Steve are being intimate and Tony starts freaking out over Steve seeing his stretch marks.)





	Stretch Marks

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Body insecurity, rather ungraphic sexual activities (mostly some sort of foreplay)

Before Tony had introduced exercise into his daily routine, he’d been a bit chubby. It had been the pretty unsurprising result of a lifestyle filled with junk food and alcohol once he’d managed to leave home and go to college, and while he’d graduated a year early, the lack of galas he’d had to attend with his parents had made him let loose. Not to mention the fact that he was barely a teenager when he’d gone away to MIT, so everything combined with puberty altered his skinny self into a slightly curvier adult.

Really, when he looked back on pictures he thought he’d looked pretty healthy, and the only thing that informed him of the fact that he really hadn’t been healthy were memories. Howard had hired a private trainer as soon as Tony had returned and refused to let him leave the house until he’d lost the weight again. Tony hadn’t been in any position to protest.

He now prided himself in his muscles. To be fair, he could still have a bit of a tummy depending on when you caught him, but he was rather fit, although it wasn’t always visible. For many years he’d found great joy in going to bed with people and have them raise their eyebrows in pleased surprise when he’d undressed. Yes, it was safe to say he liked his body.

He had a bit more of a complicated relationship with his stretch marks, however.

He hadn’t minded them when he’d been chubby, really, but today they served as a reminder of the months he’d spent stuck at home trying hard to be what his father wanted him to be, and then coming out a disappointment anyway. When his parents had died, he’d gained back the weight, so on top of that they also reminded him of his grief. It was as if he’d entirely forgotten that college had been the happiest time of his life, especially since that had been when Rhodey had come into his life.

And he also reckoned he felt ashamed of them now. People had always wondered why he’d never done a topless photoshoot (yes, people had really asked this), and he always said that it wasn’t his style. In reality he didn’t like the proof that was lined on his skin.

They hadn’t started bothering him until he’d started dating Pepper. Sleeping with strangers was one thing, because in the midst of the lust they rarely lingered on the pinkish marks around his lower belly, sides and thighs, but he knew being intimate with Pepper would be different. Love made you aware of the tiniest of things, and Tony became properly insecure about his appearance for the first time in decades when things started developing between them.

But he’d been a fool to worry, of course. Pepper didn’t care about those things, and for a couple of years his mind was at ease.

After an amicable breakup it took Tony another couple of years to be intimate with someone again - Tony Stark had officially stopped doing one night stands - and unfortunately feelings were involved this time as well.

With Steve it was different, because the guy was ripped, and while he knew it was only due to a serum he was scared that only the best would do for Captain America. He really should’ve realized that he was nothing but Steve Rogers in disguise, and Steve Rogers didn’t care about stretch marks.

“You look nervous.”

“Do I?”

“Your hands are shaking.”

Tony breathed out a laugh. “I guess you can’t say I’m the calmest I’ve ever been.”

Steve smiled at that. Tony could see him bite his lower lip ever so slightly. “Who knew we’d be so bad at this?”

“What, don’t you think we’re acting like confident sex gods right now?”

“I mean, I wouldn’t know.”

“You’re kidding. This isn’t your first-”

“No, no, I, uh. Well, Bucky was my first, but I wouldn’t say we ever tried to be sex gods to begin with.”

God, they were acting like teenagers. Tony couldn’t determine if that was a good sign or not.

He wrapped his arms around Steve’s waist, and Steve wasted no time in leaning in for a kiss. They’d done this a million times before, but they had decided it was time to at least try to take it a step further. Steve’s fingertips slipped beneath Tony’s shirt, hesitatingly grazing over his bare lower back, as if asking for permission. In return, Tony tugged at his shirt, and Steve took it off within seconds.

And that was when Tony’s insecurities started resurfacing because  _holy shit_.

Steve didn’t lean back in immediately. “You’re gaping.”

“You’re fucking ripped.”

“It’s the serum.” He rubbed his neck, and Tony could tell he wasn’t the only one who body image issues. “I wouldn’t look like this without it.”

Tony pulled him back in, terrified of saying the wrong thing now. He’d always known his attraction to Steve had had nothing to do with appearance, though he had to admit it certainly wasn’t a bad sight. But even though Steve had been anything but fit back in the days, Tony still felt insecure. Skinny was rather different from chubby, after all, and Steve hadn’t exactly been in any position to even manage to eat enough to not be skinny.

“Wait,” he said when Steve made a move to help him take his shirt off. “There’s something you should know.”

Steve’s brows furrowed. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes, yes, I just… I have a past that has left its mark on me.” A mark more significant to him than any scar from any battle. “I know you’re not one to judge, but- well, please don’t judge me.”

Steve was gentle when he pulled Tony’s shirt off, pausing briefly to take him in. Tony tried not to squirm under his gaze, but he really couldn’t help his blush.

“You’re gorgeous,” Steve breathed out. He reached out, stopping mere inches from his skin to say, “May I?”

Tony nodded wordlessly, and rather than watch Steve touch his marks of shame he leaned in again, this time to press his lips against his neck. As Steve’s fingertips trailed his stretch marks and the areas around them, Tony kissed his tender skin slowly, both of them vulnerable and exposed in that moment.

Tony laughed into his neck. “It tickles.”

Steve’s hands stilled. “Sorry.”

“No, please, don’t- don’t stop.” Tony wasn’t sure if he’d ever let Steve touch him again if he stopped now.

Steve did as he asked, his hands journeying up his belly, ribs, chest, and down again, making Tony shiver for several reasons. If he pressed his face into Steve’s neck he could pretend things were different - could pretend he was different - but it wasn’t going to help matters. So he pulled away.

Steve didn’t protest when Tony pulled him down the bed with him, landing on his back so that Steve was hovering above him. He didn’t miss the way Steve’s eyes roamed over his body, as if scared he would never be able to look again. It made Tony feel better to know he was enjoying the view at least a little bit.

Tony fingered with Steve’s belt buckle. “Should we-”

“Take them off?”

“Uh huh.”

“If you want to.”

“I do.”

It would be easier for Steve to pull Tony’s jeans off first, but he still removed his own before reaching out for Tony’s, which Tony was thankful for. Steve didn’t ogle this time, only ran his hands up and down Tony’s thighs in a way that drove Tony insane, and for a moment he forgot all about stretch marks and pulled Steve in.

And  _oh_. Steve was grinding into him. And Tony felt so much more now that their pants weren’t in the way.

Okay.

“Fuck,” he groaned into Steve’s mouth, making him laugh.

“This okay?”

“Yes, yes, don’t-” Tony wrapped his arms around him, nails digging into his back. “Don’t stop. Unless you want to.”

“I don’t want to.”

“So don’t stop.”

But it turned out that Steve Rogers was a fucking tease, because he stopped only a minute later, leaving Tony desperate and whining.

“I want to try something first.”

“Okay, but  _hurry_.”

“Impatient.” Steve’s smirk made him feel things. “You’ll like this, I promise.”

Maybe he would, but his groin felt cold and lonely and  _oh_ \- okay, Steve was kissing his neck. And it felt good. Okay, he was forgiven.

Until he started moving downward, that was.

“What are you doing?” Tony asked, tugging at his hair to make him pause.

“Kissing every inch of you.”

“That’d take forever.”

“Kissing a path then.”

“Steve.”

“I want to show you how much I worship you. All of you. If you’ll let me.”

“I-” Tony swallowed, his heart hammering against his chest. “I let you.”

Steve resumed his task, kissing Tony’s collarbones, chest, arc reactor, ribs. He never lingered too long anywhere, but once he reached his belly he made sure to kiss as many stretch marks as he could, and while Tony was freaking out inside he had to admit it was reassuring. And a little ticklish. But mostly reassuring.

And arousing as fuck.

Steve grinned when he passed by Tony’s little problem, but that bastard didn’t even try to touch it and only continued kissing down Tony’s thighs, which  _wasn’t helping_.

“Are you done yet?”

“Soon.”

“Leave my legs.”

“Nuh uh. I promised to love every inch of you.”

“I feel loved enough.  _Come on_.”

Steve was laughing when they locked lips again, and Tony was happy for the friction. It was only once they were done and went to wash off before bed that he was able to articulate how grateful he was for it all.

“I wasn’t able to show it properly because of reasons.”

“Because of reasons.”

“Cruel reasons. Anyway, I- well, I-”

“I get it.”

“You do?”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

Tony kissed him, the only way he could truly show his appreciation. And Steve kissed him back.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](http://thesoundofnat.tumblr.com/)


End file.
